Graz Black Widows

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The Graz Black Widows (officially: Black Widows 1st Grazer Damen Football Club ) are an Austrian American football women's team from the Styrian capital Graz . The Black Widows are three-time Austrian national champions and play in the AFL women's league this season .

history

Founding history

The first team was formed in the course of a private barbecue party in the spring of 1997 and completed its first training session in Graz's Augarten in July of the same year. With the help of Cole Beaman from the Graz Giants , the club name, which is still valid today, and the club colors black and white were soon found. The Black Widows were officially founded a few months later by Eva Schantl in 1998. Initially, the team took part in flag football tournaments, but two years later joined the newly founded Austrian women's football league and now played tackle Football .

Three times championship title and the first setback

As the first coach, the only female American football team in Graz to date was able to win the linebacker Alexander Cucek from the Graz Giants. Under him, the young team celebrated their first major success just two years after the club was founded by winning the first Austrian championship in the "best-of-three" final against the Vienna Vikings Mermaids , which was achieved the following year, again with a final victory against last year's opponent, let repeat. After the third championship title, Cucek saw the development phase of the Graz women completed in 2002 and left the club. In the next few years he was followed by players from the Graz Giants such as Lucas Heimering, Fouad Lilabadi and the American Kurt Ramler as coach.

In 2003, after victories against the Südstadt Rangers Roughnecks and lost finals against the Vienna Vikings Ladies, the Graz women were only runner-up for the first time. In the game year 2004, the team had to struggle with increased losses and only played friendly games in order to enable their rookies to optimally integrate into the team.

Return to the championship and the current season

After the return of the former successful trainer Alexander Cukek, the Black Widows climbed back into the championship the following year and again won the runner-up title. Although the Graz women again failed in the finals due to the Vienna Vikings Ladies, the young team showed a great improvement in their play and this year provided seven players for the Austrian women's national team.

In the 2006 game year, after a 7:31 defeat in the final of Ladies Bowl VII on July 9 in Traun against the Dodge Vikings Ladies, the Graz women won the title of Austrian runner-up for the third time.

titles and achievements

  • 3 × Austrian champion : 2000, 2001, 2002
  • 5 times Austrian runner-up: 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

Well-known players

  • Elke Ederer (running back; Most-Touchdowns-Award 2000 and 2001, Award as best player in the league 2001)
  • Silke Kranz (linebacker; Most-Tackles-Award 2000, 2001 and 2002, award as best player of the Black Widows 2002)
  • Daniela Stöckl (Liner and Linebacker; Best Liner Award 2000 and 2002, Most Tackles Award 2003)
  • Katharina Koller (Liner; Best Liner Award 2001 and 2003)

Web links